Clemson Tigers: Surprise Team of 2011

The Clemson Tigers are looking more and more like the class of the ACC this football season. Today, the 11th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies were their latest victim, who managed to put up just a measly field goal on their home turf.

The 23-3 Virginia Tech win capped off a streak of three straight ranked wins for the Tigers. Auburn and Florida State also fell to Clemson, who was unranked to start the year.

The Auburn win was the one that put the Tigers on the national radar. Then they managed to knock off Florida State with a five point win. And today, they pulled off upset number three, this time with a more convincing win on the road at rowdy Lane Stadium.

So now, Clemson finds themselves unbeaten, at 5-0. An undefeated season? It's early, but not out of the question. They only have two more ranked opponents remaining in their schedule: at Georgia Tech, and probably their toughest game of the season, at 10th-ranked South Carolina. Even if they fall to the Gamecocks, and BCS Bowl Game could be well in Clemson's sight.

Earlier today, ESPN's KC Joyner wrote a piece saying how with a win over Clemson,Virginia Tech would be the surest bet to play in the BCS title game. Now that Clemson knocked off the Hokies, does this apply to them as well? We'll have to wait and see.

But one thing we do know is quarterback Tajh Boyd has emerged out of nowhere to become an early season Heisman candidate. The stats say it all: 90-136 for 1255 yards, 13 touchdowns, and just one pick heading into the Va. Tech game. Scary thing is, he's only a sophomore and a first-year starter. He could lead this program into national powerhouse status over the next few years. With the way Clemson has played so far, you could argue they have already reached that stage.

Boise St. vs. BCS

It seems that how ever many times Boise St. goes undefeated in the regular season, they won't get a chance to play for the BCS National Championship. In the wake of another undefeated season, they find themselves behind Oregon and Auburn (as well as TCU, another mid-major, who is 3rd) in the BCS standings, which is perfectly expected. This is because of the mid-major power's strength of schedule, their biggest wins over then 10th-ranked Virginia Tech and then 24th ranked Oregon St, neither of which are still ranked. So it makes sense they are behind, however, not necessarily fair. Because it's not entirely Boise's fault they don't get powerhouse opponents such as an Oregon or Alabama, but, rather, that these teams are basically scared to face the Broncos, fearing a loss to a mid-major that will remove their team from the championship hunt. TCU is in the exact same situation as Boise, but both will likely have to settle for the same situation as they did last year, in a BCS Bowl, but not the one everyone will have their eyes on. Last year they duked it out for a close Boise win, but the fans of these schools and mid-majors in general, wish they'd get a shot against a power BCS school.
   
Of course, there is another solution that only makes too much sense for college football to implement, a playoff. Or we could just watch two 6-6 schools play it out in the EagleBank Bowl so college football can have more sponsors. Why they can't switch to a playoff, like every other sport, is beyond me. The format doesn't even matter at this point. But what does matter, is that every deserving team gets a shot at a college football, not BCS, title.